Reunion
by Laura Owen
Summary: It's five years after Squall Leonheart and his friends saved the world. What's happened in that time?
1. Prequel

**Disclaimer: **I do not own these boys and girls. They are property of Square. Please do not sue me for this. **Contact: **Mail, LiveJournal

**Reunion Prequel**

by: Laura Owen

_**Zell**_  
**Start the Commotion**  
  
"AVERY?" Zell yelled, buried head and shoulders in a box at the bottom of the closet.  
  
"WHAT?" came the reply from the kitchen.  
  
"ANY IDEA WHERE MY LEATHER JACKET IS?" Zell knew, just KNEW that if he didn't dig it out and take it with him, it would be forty degrees below zero and he'd spend the whole weekend rolled up in a blanket.  
  
"Right here, Zell." He popped out of the box and leaned back to look up the the red-head who'd walked in, chicken sandwich in one hand, his jacket in the other. Smiling, she said, "You got it out last night and left it on the sofa."  
  
Zell bounced up and crossed the room to her. "What would I do without you, Ave?" He kissed her cheek and took the sandwich out of her hand.   
  
She rolled her eyes sarcastically and stuffed the jacket in the duffel bag on the bed. "Probably starve. And loose your clothes regurarly."  
  
Zell polished off the last bite of the sandwich and said, "Even with you I do that!"  
  
Avery blushed lightly and zipped the bag up. "Have you got everything? Your keys? ID? Brain?"  
  
Zell patted his pockets and pulled out his wallet, but failed to produce his keys. Avery sighed and reached over to the bedside table. She dangeld his keys in front of him and smiled.  
  
"Come on," she said, hefting the bag on her shoulder. "If we don't get out of here soon, you'll forget where we are going."  
  
Zell grinned and took the keys. As they walked down the short hall to the front door, Zell asked, "What platofrm is it again?"  
  
Avery laughed and said, "Three." Sometimes she wondered how Zell had ever managed to become SeeD. IT was only when he laughed that she realized he had been kidding. She turned and slugged him hard in the arm.  
  
"OW! Hey now. No rough stuff. We'll miss the train!" He drapped one arm around her shoulders and tugged her close

_**Squall**_  
**How You Remind Me**  
  
Squall leaned on his palm, staring out the train window.   
  
He didn't want to be on this train. He didn't want to be headed into the cold and wet to stay in a hotel in a bed that wasn't his. He didn't want to leave the Garden. There was no reason for it.   
  
And on top of it all he was not sure he wanted to see everyone again. Five years was longer than anybody could imagine. So much had happened; so much changed.  
  
Changed. That was a weak statement. More like the world had ben heaved up around him and dropped back down. It looked just the same as ever, but it sure wasn't.  
  
After Cid stepped down, Squall stepped up. He had so much to do that there was no time for him and Rinoa.   
  
He'd tried. He really had. But she needed more than he could ever give. More than he had to give. She'd known that, but managed to live with it for a little while.  
  
Then all hell had broke loose. In one night, everything changed.  
  
He'd gone back to his room after ahving an arguement with Rinoa. Something silly about not being able to go on a trip much like the one he was on because of his responsibilities. She'd given in eventually, but se'd been sad. He had fallen into bed and to sleep, glad that she had seen it his way.  
  
The next morning, she was dead. She'd left him a note saying that she just couldn't take it any more. She'd written 'I can't live with you, but I can't live without you either. This is the only way.' And just like that, she was gone. She'd tried to be neat and not make a mess, but it had failed. The bowl under her wrist had been too small to hold the blood that poured out of her.  
  
Squall remembered the knock on his door in the wee hours of the morning. They wouldn't tell him what was going on; just led him to her room and let him see for himself. SHe was as beautiful as ever, her glossy black hair spread over the pillow, her SeeD uniform crisp and clean. He had almost missed the huge stain on the bed and floor, where the blood had run over and the bowl had fallen of the bed.  
  
She'd looked so peaceful.  
  
Squall shook himself back into the present. The landscape was whipping by, trees and animals a blur.   
  
He didn't want to be going on this trip.  
  
He had responsibilities.

_**Irvine and Quistis**_  
**Follow Me**

Quistis leaned on the window sill, watching the two figures walking across the grass in front of the hotel. The woman didn't look much different, same hair, same smile. The man looked older, more worn.  
  
She turned to where Irvine was laying on the bed, laptop open, lightpen in hand, grading. "Squall is here."  
  
Irvine's head snapped up and he frowned. "How's he look?"  
  
Quistis turned back to the window. "He's in one peice, but I'm glad Selphie went to meet him. He looks," she thought for a second and turned to face Irvine. "Harder."  
  
Irvine closed the laptop and motioned Quistis over. She crossed the tiny room and lay down next to him. Irvine wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back through the flannel shirt that she'd adopted from him as a nightshirt.  
  
Quistis missed Rinoa. She missed her something terrible. Right after Rinoa died, she'd left Balamb and gone to Galbadia. She'd found Irvine and they'd rekindled their friendship. It wasn't until last month that it had become something more than that.  
  
But for both of them, this trip was hard to make. Quistis never asked questions about what had happened with Irvine and Selphie, but she knew that whatever it was, they had not parted amiably. Irvine was tense about seeing her again, although their berif encounter earlier today had not been that bad.  
  
Quistis was just upset about seeing Squall again. She'd been there when they'd found Rinoa. She'd been there when Squall had gone in. She'd seen the indifferent expression on his face. She'd watched as he had told the medics to get her out of there and get the room cleaned up. She'd watched him walk away, go back to his room, dress, then go to his office and begin working, as if nothing had happened.  
  
She had given her resignation that day. When she'd told Squall, he'd asked her why. ANd hse had let him have it. Everything that she ever hated about him was summed up in about fifteen minutes of her yelling at him.  
  
She hadn't accused him of killing Rinoa. It had been Rinoa's choice to slit her wrists; Squall didn't hold the knife. But there were things, simple things, that he could have done in those last hours. It was so obvoius to everyone. Everyone except Squall.  
  
Now, they were all back. Zell and his wife. Selphie. Irvine. Squall. Even Seifer and Fujin.  
  
But, as far as Quistis was concerned, nothing was going to be right about this weekend.

Seifer and Fuujin **Fallin'**

Her hips swayed gently with the words of the song over the speakers. WHere she had learned to ice skate was lost on Seifer. He'd known her for so long, and yet he had no idea where she'd picked up that little skill.  
  
One foot behind the other, the metal blades making small cutting noises in the ice. Gliding backwards, hips shifting as she turned in slow graceful arcs. Balanced on one foot, the other pointed out straight behind her. SHe looked beautiful.  
  
Seifer refelected on how it had taken him so long to notice her. They'd been friends for, 10 years? Before he had just up and realized that, well. She was a girl for one thing. It'd taken him another year to get up the nerve to ask her out.  
  
Why she said yes, he would never know. But she had, and it had been... nice.  
  
Yeah. Not perfect by any means. Fuj had summed their relationship up very well on the trainride up.  
  
"Seifer, I don't always like you," she'd said, face straight as ever. She'd gottenout of the habit of clipped speech with him, like she had with everyone she was truly comfortable with. It had all been nerves anyway.  
  
He'd smiled and kissed her cheek. "Really?"  
  
That flat expression never waivered when she'd said, "No. But I always love you."  
  
That had sent him into orbit. He still wasn't quite off the high of it yet. Every time she told him she loved him, he felt like he would explode, because he knew, for the first time in his life, it was true.  
  
He leaned over and tied the lace on his skate. Might as well give her something to laugh about now. She'd give him plenty to enjoy today.  
  
When he stepped on to the ice, she came to him and clasp both of his hands in hers, her wool mittens warm against his fingers.   
  
He couldn't help but smile

_**Selphie**_  
  
  
Trabia didn't look much different, actually. She'd wandered to the Garden to find it re-built and better than ever before. It was still chilly, but it was a good chill.  
  
Selphie was amazed though, at how she saw everything through the eyes of a 17 year old. It'd been five years since she was here last, and in the grand scheme, things hadn't changed unexpectedly. But to her, it didn't feel like home anymore.  
  
Seeing Irvine was odd. Selphie knew that he and Quistis would end up together when Quistis had told her that she was moving to Galbadia. They suited a lot more than either of them knew. But seeing Irvine was odd, after the things they'd said to each other.  
  
Selphie pulled her mouth in to a straight lined smile. The things they'd said. It'd been hurtful and horrible then, but now it seemed silly. And he knew he'd been wrong.  
  
Life will twist you around Sefy. Somebody's got to take care of you of you'll get hurt for sure. That was not much of a vote of confidence! And he'd said it at the worst time, too. She'd bristled and fired back with something (she couldn't remember the exact words) about him not being the one to do that because he couldn't even take care of Edea.  
  
That was the cap, there. A screaming match had ensued, she'd made it physical, and they both gotten written up (him nearly expelled), and the relationship ended before it even began. She'd left for parts unknown and he'd stayed at Balamb for a while longer.  
  
Last time they were all supposed to meet, it had been decided against because Rinoa had... Selphie hated the word suicide. It just didn't fit Rinoa at all. It wasn't her way at all.  
  
But that was then, and this was now. So far, everything was a little tense with everyone.  
  
Well, everyone except whoever was talking to Zell and his wife. Those two brought the life to a room. They would have their work cut out for them tonight, though.  
  
Everyone would be togehter for the first time. All at the same table for dinner.  
  
Selphie tugged on her jacket and got the keycard. She walked out of her hotel room door and towards the elevator.

[Home]


	2. next

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